Health Minister Paudel pledges drug prices will be adjusted within a month

Parbat, November 19 — Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel has said that the prices of all categories of medicines will be adjusted within a month. He said so while addressing an observation cum digitalization inauguration programme of Parbat Hospital here today.

The Health Minister said the price adjustment is aimed to check the free-rein enjoyed by the pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies in determining the price of medicine in the market. He said the patients will get medicines at fair price and prevented from being cheated as the medicines can be bought and sold across the country on the basis of the price list determined by the government following price adjustments.

According to him, the medicine price adjustment work has reached its final stages. The Health Minister also on the occasion asserted that the government is committed to providing affordable and quality health services to the citizens.

He added that works are also in progress regarding health sector reform to provide all types of health care services to the indigent and helpless citizens as well. As he said, the Ministry is also making preparation to revise the Health Insurance Programme that was initiated during the tenure of the then Health Minister Gagan Thapa, increasing the insurance amount from Rs 100 thousand to Rs 500 thousand. Minister Paudel stated that arrangements have been made for providing HPV vaccines against cervical cancer to 1.6 million girls throughout the country.

Similarly, the programme for providing free medical treatment for cancer to children below 14 years has benefited many. On the occasion, Parbat Hospital Development Board Chairman Shankar Giri handed a demand letter to the Health Minister, urging for various reforms at the hospital.

Receiving the demand letter, Minister Paudel pledged that the required support would be provided to the Parbat Hospital for its development and improving the quality of services it provides.